Rip's History: New Identity (spoliers)

So, we know that Rip came to the Yellowstone because when he was about 13 he escaped his home after his mother and siblings were killed by his father, and then killing his father. I guess no one ever looked for him.

Bottom line is that by the time Rip is like 16 or 17 in the last flashback sequence, I doubt he's been to school or off the ranch much at all for that matter. And if he did show up to high school for 11th grade, I'm sure the admins would be like hmmmm.... we've been looking for you for 4 years now.

My bet is that they take the "drifter" ranch hand that Rip killed and steal his identity, and give it to Rip. That way Rip can get a driver's license, etc. and do what he has to do as an adult to make the ranch work. And that is probably the "thing" that John if referring to when he says i'll do something for you but you can never leave if I do. A clear reference is made to "dropping the guy off at the train station" which we all know is where they take people to shoot them, so it would have been pretty easy to just get rid of the body, but John says no to that.